Hidden symmetry and Skyrmions

The authors have reexamined the description of the low energy QCD physics in terms of spontaneously broken chiral symmetry. They have taken into account a possible interpretation of vector mesons as the manifestation of hidden symmetry inherent to such an approach. It is shown that the Skyrme form of the non linear σ-model emerges naturally when the gauge coupling of hidden gauge fields becomes large. The possibility of a stable monopole type soliton solution and the resultant improved phenomenology is critically discussed. (orig.)